Metronome

alright...this is quite embarassing but i've never used a metronome...Tis summer and i want to develope more speed and keep my timing good. Can anyone try to explain how to use a metrome with scales example so i can get a head start?

Go to the top of this screen and click on "Search" and then click on "Advanced Search", and then type "metronome" into the Key Word(s) box, then click on the drop down and select "Search Titles Only, then click on the "Search Now" you will get 14 threads that talk about this.

Good luck. Welcome to talk bass. I play scales to a metronome. I play SLOW more than I play FAST. If you play SLOWWWW, you get the notes into your head better, and it is not just a fingering exercise. You will be amazed at how your speed improves by practicing slow for a few hours a day.

It really depends on how you're subdividing the scale you're playing. For example you may set your metronome to 80 bpm. Most of the time a click track is going to be clicking quarter notes soooo...

whole = one note per 4 clicks
half = one note per 2 clicks
quarter = play a note on each click
eighth = two notes per click
sixteenth = four notes per click

From there you can practice quarter, eighth, and sixteenth note triplets, sextuplets, octuplets, whatever.

In my opinion you should have the click going on the longest subdivision possible while still being able to play in time. This makes sense when you start playing with a drummer because if you've always been practicing quarter notes on each click it will feel strange if the drummer switches to half time or plays a very syncopated line.

Another reason for this is it lets phrases breathe when you are learning actual pieces and not just practicing scales. You wouldn't want to practice a bebop head with the metronome clicking eigths because you'd probably end up sounding like a robot playing it.

I would start out by allowing one click per note. After you're pretty close to dead on, (which can take quite a while, internal clocks don't develop overnight) start messing around between the clicks. Start with 8th's, add in 16th's, diff. rhythmic patters, etc... I would start by setting the metronome to 180-200 and treating the clicks like 16th's. I have a metronome that actually divides the measure in to a bunch of sub-clicks. Really cool toy!

Play a quarter note 4/4 walking line with the metronome set for half notes (2 beats per measure) and play with the clicks on the 1 and 3. Get used to walking that way for a while. Now, play the same notes with the same metronome settings but play with the clicks on the 2 and 4. Nice way to get the feel of the off beats.

Learn to subdivide. Set the metronome for a speed and then play one whole note per click, then play half notes over the same tempo. Then quarter notes, then eighth notes, then 16th notes. Those are pretty easy. Now try quarter and eighth note triplets. Eighth note triplets are pretty easy but quarter note triples can be a challange.

Is there a metronome that does odd times? I have a reading book and would rather not set the metronome to hit every beat in a 7/8 excercise. Know what I mean? It's not a big deal just wondered if there is such an animal.

Is there a metronome that does odd times? I have a reading book and would rather not set the metronome to hit every beat in a 7/8 excercise. Know what I mean? It's not a big deal just wondered if there is such an animal.

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I make my own, open up finale and make a file wherever i want the beat to be.

alright let me see if i can even get my quetsion to come out now (thanks for the answer by the way)

Say im playing C scale in sixthteenth notes

would it go

*Click C-D-E and have another click on the F?
or would the G start with the click?

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Don't work like that, beet. You first have to determine what tempo you're playing/ You could be playing 16th notes and it's clicking on every note or every 17th one. If you want the click to equal 1 quarter note then it will click on the first note of every 16th note grouping.
C d e f
G a b c
D e f g
A b c and then B if you're coming back down the 2 octave scale.

If you want the click to equal an 8th note, then it will click on the fisrt and third notes of each 16th note grouping
C d E f
G a B c etc.

If you want the click to equal a half note, then it will click on the first note of the first grouping of 16th notes and the first note of the third grouping
C d e f
g a b c
D e f g
a b c b
A etc

Is there a metronome that does odd times? I have a reading book and would rather not set the metronome to hit every beat in a 7/8 excercise. Know what I mean? It's not a big deal just wondered if there is such an animal.

Click to expand...

There are a couple of other choices. They do make a device called a tri nome that can have up to three different time signatures going at once. You can set it for odd time signatures, 3 against 4, 2 against 3 whatever.

Or you can just do some calculating with your regular garden variety nome. If you have the click set for half notes and want to play in 5, just remember that the click will land on 1 for the first measure, 2 for the second measure and then alternate. it works out similarly for 7, 9, 11 etc.

Of course that is only relevant if you have a metronome with a bell (is that what they're called?) other wise the click can be any time you want it to be

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Most modern metronomes have a different tone for the one and a different tone for different subdivisions of the beat. The Boss DB-12 is one such device. It can do quarters, eights, triplets and different time signatures all in the size of a credit card and thickness of a Palm PDA.